


Puppy Love

by bluebellfantasy



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Angelo is a good girl, Developing Relationship, Dogs, Domestic, Epic Friendship, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Man's Best Friend - Freeform, Puppy Love, Relationship Problems, Squall Leonhart being Squall Leonhart, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Work In Progress, cuteness, cutest idea ever, puppies!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:26:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23451673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluebellfantasy/pseuds/bluebellfantasy
Summary: When a doctor's visit reveals that Angelo is pregnant with puppies, everyone is thrilled! ...Except Squall. Can this event somehow bring him and Rinoa closer together? And what will their friends do in the process?
Relationships: Angelo & Rinoa Heartilly, Irvine Kinneas/Selphie Tilmitt, Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Surprise! Preggers!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! I came up with this idea a few days ago because honestly, who DOESN'T like puppies?! Throw in Squall, Rinoa and gang into the situation and you've got this little thing I made up. There will be multiple chapters, although I'm not sure how many yet. 
> 
> On a more serious note, I wrote this in memory of my own dog of 10 years who we (meaning my family and I) had to put down. She got very sick very suddenly and we didn't want her to suffer. I miss her very much, and the little "head hug" detail I put in the story is something that she used to do. She was a good girl, and I know she is healthy and happy now (because I firmly believe that yes, ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN). 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own FFVIII, or any of its characters.

It was hard to sit still and not worry when all Rinoa wanted to do was pace around. But the waiting room was small, and she didn’t want to make a scene, so she sat down instead.

She always paced when she was nervous or worried about something. It somehow helped put her mind at ease. Rinoa would often mumble to herself as she paced, trying to separate solid facts from how she felt. Angelo would often join her, following at Rinoa’s heels, concerned at her master’s well-being. But soon enough Rinoa would sort through her feelings and, when she sat down, Angelo would lay her head in Rinoa’s lap. Being a dog, it was the only sign of comfort she could give without licking her.

Angelo gave a gentle lick to Rinoa’s hand. Rinoa, who was sitting in a hard plastic chair, jumped slightly. She seemed to come out of her worries as she looked down at her dog. Rinoa smiled and stroked Angelo’s head. “Good girl,” she said softly. Angelo gave the most of a smile that she could before laying down on the floor, her head between her paws.

Rinoa let out a sigh. The chairs outside of Dr. Kadowaki’s office hurt your backside if you sat there long enough. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable. _I hope she isn’t much longer,_ she thought to herself, glancing at the closed door to her left. Rinoa had scheduled an appointment yesterday, and while she was grateful she could get in so soon, her appointment was nearly ten minutes ago. The tick of the second hand was torture to her ears. Rinoa had caught herself biting her nails as time went on – a bad habit that she swore she kicked years ago.

Rinoa usually wasn’t one to worry. Sure, she would get concerned and even anxious at times, but it usually passed without her paying any close attention to it. But this was different. The situation itself demanded her full attention, concern and anxiety. And it wasn’t even about herself.

It was about Angelo.

Her precious dog hadn’t been acting like herself lately. For starters, she was sleeping a lot more than usual. Angelo wasn’t necessarily hyperactive, but she wasn’t a lazy dog either. Whenever Rinoa had taken her on her mid-morning walks, Angelo seemed to slow down more easily. Usually the two of them walked for about a mile or so, but by halfway through Angelo would get lethargic, practically dragging her paws across across the ground. Whenever they got back to the dorms, Angelo would plop on the ground and instantly fall asleep, sometimes for hours at a time.

And she had been more needy. Angelo was usually just fine on her own – as long as Rinoa gave her love and attention, she was content. But now she never seemed to leave Rinoa’s side for a second. Even this morning when Rinoa was in the shower, Angelo scratched and whined at the door the whole time. Lately, the poor dog had been snuggling so closely and aggressively to Rinoa at night that it woke Rinoa up, resulting in bad night’s sleep.

What made Rinoa decide to come to the doctor, however, was the throwing up. She had never changed the brand or amount of food she fed Angelo, so she was bewildered when Angelo took a few bites of her food and almost immediately threw it back up. Rinoa nearly burst into tears when Angelo looked up at her in what appeared to be complete misery. After cleaning up the mess and making sure her dog was comfortable, Rinoa placed an appointment.

She knew Dr. Kadowaki wasn’t a vet, but it was the best option she had right now. And if anything, Dr. Kadowaki could refer her to someone who _was_ a vet. She gave Angelo a loving stroke on the head. “We’ll get in soon, I promise,” she said softly.

As if on cue, the door to the office opened. A male student walked out, holding an ice pack to his head. Dr. Kadowaki walked out shorty after. “Hi, Rinoa. Sorry about the wait,” she said with a smile. “Come on in.”

Rinoa stood up, grateful to finally be out of that chair, taking Angelo’s leash in her hand. “Come on, girl,” she said soothingly. Angelo slowly stood up, walking alongside Rinoa.

“Am I seeing you, or the dog?” Dr. Kadowaki asked, glancing at Angelo with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Rinoa said with a smile. “I just wanted to see if everything was alright with Angelo.”

“...you know I’m not a vet, right?” Dr. Kadowaki asked with a small smile.

“Oh, I know,” Rinoa said quickly, “it’s just...Angelo hasn’t been herself lately. She’s been super lethargic and not eating as much. When she does eat, she sometimes throws it up. And she’s been so cuddly and needy that I think something is wrong.” Rinoa could feel tears sting her eyes. “I’m just so worried about her. I just want to make sure she’s okay, and I know we’re not allowed to go outside the Garden without permission, so I wanted to come to you first.” She looked up at the doctor pleadingly. “I know you’re not a vet, but can’t you at least test her heartbeat or something?”

There was a brief pause. As if sensing Rinoa’s increasing anxiety, Dr. Kadowaki said, “Well, lucky for you, I went to a few years of veterinary school before deciding to be a doctor. I think I can make an exception just this once.”

“Oh, thank you!” Rinoa gushed, a smile lighting up her face. “Thank you so, so much!”

“But just this once,” Dr. Kadowaki repeated as they all walked into the small room. “I could get in trouble if I do this more than once.”

“Right,” Rinoa nodded. “I really, really appreciate this.”

“No trouble,” Dr. Kadowaki said. She bent down and looked at Angelo’s face. “Let’s see how you’re doing, shall we? Rinoa, can you help me lift her up onto the bed?”

Rinoa frowned slightly as she and Dr. Kadowaki picked up Angelo. _She’s never been this heavy. How can she be heavy if she’s not eating as much?_ Rinoa’s eyes widened in horror. _Oh no. What if it’s a giant tumor or something? What if Angelo doesn’t have much time?_

“How long has she been acting like this?” Dr. Kadowaki asked as she brought out her stethoscope.

“I first started noticing it about a week ago,” Rinoa said, after thinking for a moment. “when we were out on our walk. She just got really tired all the sudden, and since then I’ve barely gotten her to go as far as we usually do. She’s been sleeping a lot, more than usual. And then yesterday and this morning she threw up her food.” Rinoa shrugged. “I mean, other than that she seems like her normal self, but I’m just worried.”

“Hmm,” Dr. Kadowaki said as she listened to Angelo’s heartbeat. “that is a bit unusual. And she’s never done anything like this before?” Upon seeing Rinoa shake her head she asked, “well, if you just noticed it a week ago, it could have just started. Or whatever is going on could have been going on longer and she just now started showing signs.”

“Do you think she’s sick?” Rinoa asked in worry, gently stroking Angelo’s back in comfort.

“Well her heartbeat is nice and strong, so that’s always a good sign.” Dr. Kadowaki moved the stethoscope to the lower part of Angelo’s chest. “Let me just finish taking her vitals and we’ll see what we need to do. Has she been drinking water regularly?”

“Yeah,” Rinoa said, watching the doctor in interest.

Dr. Kadowaki paused before mumbling a calculation to herself. “Her pulse is normal, that’s another good sign.” Dr. Kadowaki removed the stethoscope from her ears as she straightened up. She then gently tilted Angelo’s head up, shining a light into her eyes. “Has she had any diarrhea, or coughing?”

“No, none at all.” Rinoa answered, resisting the strong urge to bite her nails.

After a few more routine checks – such as checking Angelo’s temperature, respiration rate, weight, and other things – Dr. Kadowaki said, “Well, I’m not seeing or feeling anything wrong. But just to be sure, I want to do a blood test. Maybe something will show up there that I couldn’t see.”

Rinoa sat next to Angelo, holding her in comfort as Dr. Kadowaki inserted the needle. Once the sufficient amount of blood was collected and Dr. Kadowaki left the room, Rinoa gave Angelo a kiss on the crown of her head. “You did so good,” she said softly. “I’ll get you a nice bone after this, okay? Or a new toy?” Angelo simply wagged her tail a little.

As the minutes ticked by, Rinoa pondered what the blood test might show: a virus of some kind? Rinoa knew it was possible for dogs to get sick. Or was it worms? Angelo had a mild case when she was a puppy, but she seemed to make a full recovery. Would it show cancer cells, heaven forbid? Rinoa shuddered slightly. If she were to lose Angelo, she would surely lose part of her heart and world.

As if she could sense her master’s worry, Angelo laid her head on Rinoa’s knee. It was always something she did when she knew Rinoa was upset; Rinoa called them her “head hugs.” Rinoa smiled, petting Angelo’s head lovingly.

At long last, Dr. Kadowaki came in. Relief flooded through Rinoa as she saw that the good doctor was smiling. “Angelo is going to be just fine,” Dr. Kadowaki said soothingly. “she’s just having a little bit of discomfort.”

“She’s not sick?” Rinoa asked, puzzled. “then why is she throwing up and being so slow?”

“Rinoa,” Dr. Kadowaki said, still smiling. “Angelo is going to have puppies.”

Rinoa felt her jaw drop. “What?!”

Dr. Kadowaki walked forward, showing Rinoa a piece of paper. “These were the results from her blood tests. Usually this hormone,” she said, pointing to a specific name listed on the paper, “is usually not this high in female dogs. But when it is, it means that they’re pregnant.”

“Angelo – babies – preggers – _what?!”_ Rinoa sputtered, still dumbfounded at the news.

“And all the symptoms you’ve been describing are typical signs of pregnancy in dogs,” Dr. Kadowaki continued. “She’s just more tired because her body is preparing for her babies’ arrival, and her behavioral changes are totally normal. She’s probably a bit unsettled since this is her first litter of pups, and wants comfort from you. And when she throws up? That’s basically a dog’s version of morning sickness. It’ll pass with time. In fact, she’ll probably eat more.”

Rinoa made a few more unintelligible sounds before she finally spat out, “How can she be pregnant?! There are no other dogs in the school! And she never leaves my side!”

Dr. Kadowaki shrugged. “It had to have happened somehow. Maybe someone else here got a dog recently. Pets are allowed at the school, after all. As for her never leaving your side, it had to have happened at some point. Maybe you just don’t remember right now.”

Rinoa was silent for a few moments, thinking over the past few weeks in her mind. Nothing unusual had happened; Angelo usually stayed in her dorm during classes, and Rinoa took her for her daily walk after classes were over. Her dorm was practically escape-proof; she made sure it was so before she moved in there for Angelo’s sake. And Angelo wasn’t the type of dog to try and plot an escape…

“Rinoa? You okay?”

Rinoa snapped out of her stupor to see Dr. Kadowaki looking at her in concern. “Uh...yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. Just wondering how in the world it could have happened.” She absentmindedly scratched Angelo’s back as she asked, “what do I need to do for her? Does she need special food or anything? How far along is she?”

“She’s not showing a lot yet, so I’d say she’s about a few weeks along,” Dr. Kadowaki said. “Dogs are pregnant for two months before giving birth, so you’ve got some time to prepare. As for what you can do, make sure she keeps at a healthy weight and is eating a good quality dog food. Increase it gradually and make her meals small; have her eat a few small meals a day rather than one large one. And seeing a vet, of course.”

“I assume that vet isn’t you?” Rinoa asked, somewhat sheepishly.

Dr. Kadowaki laughed. “Sorry, kiddo, but that’s out of my jurisdiction. But I can ask around and see if there’s a good vet in Timber or somewhere else close by. And I’ll talk to Headmaster Cid to let him know of the situation.”

After profusely thanking Dr. Kadowaki to the point of visible discomfort, Rinoa left the doctor’s office with Angelo at her side. Once the two of them were alone, Rinoa bent down so she was at eye level with her dog. She could feel the biggest smile cross her face as she said, “You’re gonna be a mama, Angelo! A _mama!”_ She wrapped her arms around her dog’s neck in a hug. “And you’re gonna have the most _beautiful, smart_ babies in the whole world! I just wish I knew who the Papa was.” She let out a sigh as she pulled back, stroking Angelo’s ears. “Too bad dogs can’t talk. If they could you would tell me, I know that for sure.”

She straightened up, pulled out her phone, and called Squall. She bounced on the balls of her feet, excitement and glee flooding her as the phone rang. When Squall answered with his typical stoic hello, Rinoa blurted out, “Guess what, Squall?! WE’RE GONNA BE PARENTS!”


	2. (Un)welcome Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squall isn't taking the news about Angelo too well. What's weighing even more on his mind is the potential future he has with Rinoa, and how he doesn't think he's the boyfriend she deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Hope you enjoy this next chapter. I had a lot of fun writing it. I don't know the FFVIII characters as deeply as I know the FFVII characters, so they may be a bit out of character (sorry about that, but I tried my best!). Anywho, I hope you comment and like it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.

Squall was _not_ excited.

It had already been a long day. There were what seemed like millions of papers to fill out and sign, people to talk to (which he wasn’t a huge fan of doing), and meetings to attend (again, which he wasn’t a huge fan of doing). By lunchtime Squall felt like the “social interaction” gland in his brain was overworked. The urge to get up and leave his duties behind was stronger than usual. But being a SEED Commander meant doing all of those things and more, so on days like these Squall gritted his teeth and braved the storm.

Squall let out a small sigh of relief as the walked into his small office, shutting the door behind him. The silence welcomed him with open arms. He knew that most people couldn’t stand silence, but Squall relished it. Silence didn’t demand to be paid attention to. Silence left you alone. It was a breath of fresh air.

Squall sat down in his desk chair, rubbing his stinging eyes. He winced slightly, the pressure feeling somehow relieving and painful at the same time. He let out a sigh as he opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling as he reflected on what Rinoa told him:

“ _Guess what, Squall?! WE’RE GONNA BE PARENTS!”_

His mind immediately went to the worse possible scenario – that of Rinoa somehow being pregnant. His common sense then smacked him in the face and told him not to be stupid. The image of a pregnant Rinoa lingered in his mind, however. The picture rendered him nearly speechless. Once Squall was sure he could somehow form words again, he simply said, in the most stoically-surprised tone he could manage, “ _What?”_

“Angelo’s gonna have puppies!” Rinoa’s chirpy voice replied. Seeming to sense his distress, she quickly added, “but don’t worry – they won’t be here for another two months.”

 _...Two months? I’m gonna need six to fully process this,_ Squall said to himself at the time.

Rinoa had begun to explain – something about Angelo acting weird, Dr. Kadowaki and having to wait forever to get in – when she got stopped by someone and had to let him go, promising she would tell him more about it later. Squall barely had time to say, “Wait, hold on a second -” before the line went dead.

From the moment she hung up, Squall had been thrown into mental agony. _Puppies?_ At a time like this? He and Rinoa were both incredibly busy; there was just no time. The two of them barely had time enough to get some time together already. There were missions, classes, training, and in Squall’s case, meetings and paperwork. Puppies were something that required 100% attention. Rinoa could provide something like that. Squall couldn’t.

And what would they _do_ with them once they were old enough? Sell them? Give them away for free? Or, in the case that no one would buy them, _keep all of them?_ Squall let out a frustrated groan, running a hand through his hair.

 _Maybe Selphie could do something about this,_ Squall thought desperately. _She’s good with...cute stuff. And she’ll probably drag Irvine and everyone else into it, too._ He took a glance at the clock. It was about time for him to be heading back to his apartment, anyways. The silence of his apartment and the softness of his bed called out to him. _Talking to Selphie will only take a minute,_ Squall thought as he stood up. _At least, I hope so…_ last time he had stopped by to talk to Selphie about a mission she talked his ear off about something or other that didn’t really matter. _I’ll just make sure to walk away this time,_ Squall vowed to himself as he shut and locked his office door and made his way to his friend’s dorm.

The Garden was quiet in the evenings. Students had free time, and while some chose to go to the commons area or cafeteria to hang out, most went to their dorms and relaxed. Squall’s footsteps echoed across the marble floors. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, his brow furrowed. The silence that was relieving for his brain moments ago now made his thoughts run rampant.

Squall did not like to think of the future, but this situation was forcing him to do so. Sure, he was a SeeD Commander – which required much thought and deliberation regarding future events – but those things were different. Being a SeeD Commander put thoughts about _his_ own future aside. He didn’t have to think about how he still wasn’t used to a relationship, and where that relationship could go. He didn’t have to worry about Rinoa, and how she was basically putting up with him. Why _did_ she put up with him in the first place?

Squall smiled slightly when he thought of the night their lips met underneath a sky full of fireworks. At that moment, he felt nothing but reassurance. For the first time in his life, he felt truly happy and content. The future didn’t look so menacing to him. He wasn’t scared. It was a _perfect_ moment of pure bliss. Squall had felt the walls around his heart practically melt away. For one small second, he had dared to hope to believe that things would be different.

But that’s not what happened. It was true that Squall was happier with Rinoa around. However, thoughts of the future – a future shared with Rinoa, no less – only fed his already existing anxieties. How was one to prepare for a future where nothing was certain? Where, in one second, everything could change? It had happened in the incident with Ultimecia: in just a few days his entire life was flipped upside down. The somewhat comfortable routine he was in was thrown in the trash. It was extremely uncomfortable, and almost felt a bit traumatic.

 _But then again,_ Squall thought to himself as he climbed a set of stairs, _if that mess hadn’t happened you never would have met Rinoa._ That was one upside to the whole thing, at least.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Squall paused, fished it out of his pocket, and read a new message from Rinoa:

_**Hope you’ll be home soon. I’ve got a surprise for ya! ;)** _

Squall raised an eyebrow. Surprises weren’t unusual with Rinoa around, but they always served their purpose. He let out another sigh. The image of his soft, warm bed was still calling to him...as much as he enjoyed having Rinoa around, didn’t she understand that some days he just wanted to sleep?

_...I better hurry. I shouldn’t keep her waiting. Last time I did, she teased me for days._

He sent a text to Selphie briefly explaining the situation in lieu of stopping by her apartment. Squall then picked up his pace to a brisk walk. He reached his dorm in record time. Fishing for his key in his pocket, he froze when he heard Rinoa’s voice inside. The two had given each other keys to their dorms a while back, but it was still weird and surprising to see/hear Rinoa in his dorm. Knowing it would be unlocked, Squall opened the door and walked inside.

He took a quick look around. It looked just as it had when he left this morning: neat and tidy, for the most part. The small table to his right had been set for two, with real dishes (Squall used paper whenever he could – doing dishes was such a hassle). Soft piano music was playing from a stereo in the corner.

Rinoa stood at the stovetop, stirring something in a large pot. The smell emanating from it was so mouth-watering that even Angelo sat at her heels, begging with her big brown eyes for a taste. Squall stood there, watching her for a moment. Rinoa had a small smile on her face, as if having an enjoyable silent conversation with herself. She added some salt into the pot, still stirring. Angelo let out a soft whine, and Rinoa tore her attention from the pot for a moment to give her dog a scratch behind the ears.

Her very presence brought tranquility and light. Even after a hard day when all Squall wanted to do was go to bed, Rinoa made sure he was alright. Most times he didn’t even have to tell her so. It’s like she had some sort of weird ESP – she always did something like this when he had a rough day. Sometimes it was a home cooked meal, sometimes it was a quick stop by to give him a hug. Whatever it was, it always lifted his spirits.

The picture of a pregnant Rinoa surfaced in his mind once again. The tranquility vanished like melting snow. _Don’t think about that,_ he scolded himself. It was practically opening Pandora’s Box. Thinking about the possibility of Rinoa having a child – _his child,_ no less – in the near future felt like ice running in his veins. Squall could barely think about what would happen a month from now; any further thought to this and he would probably give himself an aneurysm.

“Oh, you’re back!” Rinoa’s cheerful voice broke through his thoughts. Squall looked at her as she straightened up from petting Angelo. “Hope you’re hungry!”

“...Yeah,” Squall said after a moment, still trying to shake Pregnant Rinoa out of his mind. It was perfectly true; he’d barely eaten anything since lunch. He gestured to the table and stove. “You didn’t have to -” He was cut off by Rinoa putting a finger on his lips.

“But I wanted to,” Rinoa replied, still smiling. “it seemed like you had a long day. It was the least I could do.” Clearly, her and Squall’s definition of “the least I could do” were very different.

“...Thanks,” Squall said quietly as he slipped off his shoes. As he straightened up, he felt a sudden tightness around his middle. Rinoa had wrapped him in a hug. Instinctively, Squall stiffened slightly. He still wasn’t quite used to this sort of thing. After a moment, he felt obliged to put his arms around her as well. In spite of still being a bit uncomfortable, Squall soon found the hug soothing.

“Seriously, you have perfect timing,” Rinoa said, looking up at him. “I just got done with the finishing touches.”

“I got your text,” Squall said awkwardly. The words felt clunky in his mouth. Why was it so hard to speak sometimes? Why couldn’t he just say what he felt?

Rinoa let out a small laugh. “I figured. I only sent it about two minutes ago and here you are!” She broke the embrace and gestured to one of the chairs around the table. “Go ahead and sit. I’ll bring it over in a second.”

“I can help,” Squall insisted, walking over to the stove.

Rinoa let out a small, sarcastic gasp. “Why, Squall! I didn’t know you could be such a gentleman!” Squall felt his cheeks burn slightly. Rinoa laughed. “Just messing with you. Here, you can put these on the table.” She handed him a small basket filled with rolls.

“...how did you have the time to make all of this?” Squall asked, looking at the stove. Along with the rolls he was holding there was a pot of some kind of pasta and a small salad.

“The salad was a kit that came in a bag, so that only took about five minutes. Rolls are super easy to make; you just have to time it right. And this,” she gestured to the pasta, “is just good old fashioned comfort food. Altogether it took me...maybe an hour?”

“I didn’t even know you knew how to cook,” Squall said, sitting down in his chair.

“Always the tone of surprise,” Rinoa teased lightly, smiling. “I don’t know how to make much, but these are a few things. So...surprise!” she spread her arms out awkwardly.

Squall felt the corners of his mouth twitching. “Thanks.” After a pause he added, “really. Thanks.”

Rinoa beamed at him. “You’re welcome!”

She brought the rest of the food over, and Squall served himself a plate. He took a bite of the pasta. It was a simple dish, yet flavors exploded in his mouth. Squall caught himself before closing his eyes in sheer pleasure. He had to admit, it was rather nice eating something homemade for once. Usually he grabbed something instant from the cafeteria.

“Good?” Rinoa asked, a bit hesitant.

Squall swallowed. “Very.”

“Yes!” Rinoa punched one fist in the air in victory before filling up her own plate. For a few moments the two of them simply sat and ate.

Finally, Squall broke the ice. “You told me she was fixed,” he said, gesturing to Angelo, who was currently laying at Rinoa’s feet.

“I thought she was!” Rinoa said honestly. “When I got her she was old enough to get fixed, and they told me she was. But I guess not.” She shrugged, taking another bite of pasta.

“How could it have happened, though? There’s no other dogs in the school.”

“Your guess is as good as mine. I thought I kept a good eye on her. Guess not.”

Squall let out a sigh. “Rinoa, we can’t keep them.”

“How many do you think we’re gonna have?” Rinoa asked, as if she didn’t hear Squall’s comment.

“Rinoa, that’s not the point. Anyways -”

“Maybe we could give some away if there are too many?” Rinoa said contemplatively, resting her chin in her hand.

Squall blinked. “Well, yeah, but -”

“But then Selphie will want to hand them out to all of her friends...and poor Angelo would be heartbroken...” Rinoa’s voice trailed off.

Squall pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re not listening to me! Besides, this happens to dogs all the time: their pups grow up and are given away. Rinoa, you’re gonna have to -”

“And then there’s Seifer, the big meanie,” Rinoa said, rather loudly.

“Yeah, I hate him too, but -”

“Heaven knows he might use them for target practice!” Rinoa added, horror etching her delicate features.

“Yeah, that’s why I told _Selphie_ about it, not _him._ Would you just calm down?!”

Rinoa looked at him, her eyes shining. It suddenly dawned on Squall that _she_ had no idea what to do about this situation either. _...a good boyfriend would have known that earlier,_ Squall thought to himself contemptuously. He put down his fork – the pasta on it now a bit cold – and hesitantly covered Rinoa’s hand with his own. As stupid as the thought was, Squall hoped no one was watching.

“We’ll work this out,” he said, forcing his voice down a few volumes. “I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

A light blush covered Rinoa’s cheeks as she smiled. Squall mentally gave himself a thumbs up. _Good going, Commander._

“Thanks, Squall,” Rinoa said, flipping her hand over to entwine her fingers with his. “Sorry for not listening. I just got...carried away.”

“I know,” Squall replied simply. After a moment he added, “Maybe the others will think of some ideas.”

Rinoa suddenly straightened up in her chair. “Oh, that’s right! I invited them over too. They should be over here any second!”

Squall’s brain short-circuited. _Crap._ “What - ?”

As if on cue, the front door suddenly burst open. A loud squeal preceded the first who entered – Selphie immediately ran over to Rinoa and embraced her tightly.

“AngeloisgonnabeamommyI’msoexcitedareyouexcited?! CanIpleeeeeasehaveone?! I’dnameitFlooflesandI’dpetitandkeepitandchangeitsnewspapersandeverything!” she practically screamed, jumping up and down. Squall picked up his water glass, sure it would either shatter from her scream or from the vibrations of her feet on the floor.

Quistis, who had walked in after Selphie, grabbed the girl by the collar, looking irritated. “Selphie, at least _knock_ before you barge into someone’s dorm.”

“For all we know, the two of them could have been doing...something.” The suave, slightly accented voice of Irvine Kinneas said as he swaggered inside.

Selphie looked up at Irvine curiously. “Like cuddling?”

Irvine let out a puff of breath. “Sure. Like cuddling.”

A shorter, more muscular figure appeared in the doorway. “Squall? Cuddling? The apocalypse is upon us!”

“Zell...” Quistis warned, giving him a look.

Zell shrugged, walking inside and shutting the door behind him. “Just stating facts. And besides, Squall’s not mad.” He gave Squall a bright smile. “Are ya?”

“...Whatever,” Squall mumbled, averting his eyes. His friends – Squall was unfamiliar with the feelings associated with having them – were all trying to help. And it was _annoying._ But knowing Rinoa, she wouldn’t stand for Squall acting like such a “grumpy-wumpus.”

“Squall,” Rinoa muttered through gritted teeth, “at least _try_ to be nice.” She smiled at her friends. “Go ahead and have a seat on the couch over there.”

While everyone else was dishing up food and talking over each other, Squall remained quiet. But Rinoa’s words kept ringing in his head: “at least _try_ to be nice.” He knew he wasn’t the nicest guy around – even on a good day. Social interaction just wasn’t something Squall was naturally good at (he mainly left that to Rinoa).

 _But that’s just it,_ Squall thought to himself. _I’ve got to show Rinoa that I’m the boyfriend she deserves._ Swallowing his pride – and his bite of food – he turned in his chair to face his friends on the couch.

“So...you like puppies?” Squall asked, to no one in particular. _...Wow. That was lame._

“Oh my gosh, I _love_ puppies!” Selphie squealed, her eyes sparkling. “They’re just little bundles of pure joy that fill you up with cheery goodness!” Squall felt himself cringe at her use of vocabulary.

“They are a lot of work, though,” Quistis added, albeit smiling herself. “what are you gonna do with them when they’re older?”

Rinoa looked at Squall as she said, “We don’t know yet. But we can’t keep all of them, that’s for sure. We’ll probably give them away or sell them. But...” She looked down at Angelo, who was still dozing at her feet. “Angelo would be so sad.”

Squall snorted slightly. “She’s a dog, Rinoa. She’ll be fine.”

Rinoa gave him a look. “How would you like it if someone took your child and sold it, huh?”

Again in Squall’s mind rose the image of Pregnant Rinoa. “That’s different,” he said, annoyed at his own brain. _Not really._ _It’s kind of what Laguna did to me..._

“Yeah right,” Zell said, grabbing his roll off of his plate, “all babies are the same. Angelo’s are just...furry.” He tore into the roll with his teeth. His eyes widened. “Whoa. These are _good!_ ”

“Like I said, I’ve never had a pet,” Irvine said thickly through a mouthful of pasta. “not even a Guardian Force.”

“I had a dog when I was a kid,” Zell let out a breath of nostalgia. “His name was Oscar, and he was the best little wiener dog!”

“….it’s always hot dogs with you, isn’t it?” Squall asked monotonously.

“What can I say? I love my dogs. Anyways, Oscar and I were best buddies. He even slept in my bed! But then one day Ma said he got hit by the train.” Zell sniffed. “that was a sad day.” Irvine gave Zell a pat on the back.

“Which reminds me,” Quistis added, cutting into her salad, “there are many important things a person needs to do to take care of dogs, especially puppies. I can grab some books from the library if you’d like, Rinoa.”

“Oh, that would be awesome!” Rinoa exclaimed. “Thank you so much!”

“So Irvine,” Selphie asked, looking at him somewhat dreamily. “why didn’t you have any pets?”

Irvine shrugged. “I dunno. My parents never let me have one. Besides, I was more interested in...other things.” He raised an eyebrow suggestively at Selphie. Selphie giggled nervously. Now, more than ever, Squall resisted the urge to throw up.

“Well, I could use all of your guys’ help,” Rinoa confessed. “I have no idea about any of this!”

There was a small chorus of, “Yeah, sures” and “no problems” and “you betcha!” Squall pinched the bridge of his nose. Couldn’t it just have been him and Rinoa that took care of this whole mess? He was starting to get a headache.

“To Angelo!” Irvine cried, raising his glass.

“To Angelo!” everyone else followed suit, Squall raising his glass reluctantly.

“So what now?” Zell asked, putting down his empty plate. “We’re all here, we might as well do something.”

“I know!” Selphie cried dramatically. “let’s play charades!” Everyone cheered, but Squall remained silent.

It was going to be a _long_ time before he went to bed.


End file.
